Svetlana Zuyeva
Svetlana Vladimirovna Zuyeva (formerly "Countess Zuyeva") is a Camarilla Lasombra that serves as the Keeper of Elysium for Prince Valerie du Courdray She is a Lasombra antitribu that aided the Camarilla in Savannah during the 1960's. She, along with Mark O'Brien, Mason Wright, Isaac Cross, Rodney Anson and Georgette Adams formed a coterie deputized by sheriff Angeline du Courdray as "Hounds," permitting them to function as a secondary task force that answered to her in most matters of official importance. Likely due to her aristocratic background, Svetlana is often seen as an authoritative, if not autocratic, person and routinely seeks to lead in times of uncertainty. This endless desire for order and structure has, at times, led to conflicts between those in the group. Despite this, she is something of a natural-born leader and will in times of duress allow her cool-headed nature to determine the best course of action. Following his capture at the hands of the coterie, Eduardo Esparza was placed under her command by Prince Valerie du Courdray, as something of a disciple for her to teach. Their relationship is one of little love, though particular protection. She has become the pupil of Matthew Carrington and more often than not, hosts formal events and functions in his name. Svetlana has been noted for her remarkable beauty, which has at times been as much her bane as it is a boon to those she works with. Personality There are very few people that do not consider Svetlana to be a disagreeable and often tireless taskmaster. Though given to moments of infrequent charity, she is generally precise and particular, offering little in the way of kindness and expecting only the best of treatment in return. Envious to a fault, she has several times undone her own hard work for the sake of a perceived slight and rarely, if ever, apologizes for something that might well have been her fault. Because of these traits she rarely is one to keep friends, though her deceptive charm sees her gain them with relative ease. But for all of this, Svetlana is a woman that believes very strongly in responsibility and duty. When she is given a task she will see it to the end and rarely, if ever, deviates from her course. Her pride, which is her vice in many ways, proves a virtue in matters dealing with those that depend on her as she sees them as her possessions and thus things that cannot be offended or abandoned with ease. In matters of romance, likewise, she is decidedly loyal to any partner and despite her seductive nature does not freely or often engage in sexual exploits. Her sense of self, and the belief that she is above being used by another for their personal gain, keeps her often standoffish and withdrawn in the face of would-be companions for a night. One of her most glaring flaws, however, is that Svetlana like many of her time period suffered from a particular brand of racism that saw her beliefs predicated upon the value of superiority. A classist without question (and often disparaging the notion of "freedom"), she also seems to be at the very least vocally intolerant of those considered inferior. This being said, she has worked with several people of non-white designations and at times, has even managed to set aside her aversion for the sake of a mission. It appears her racism is largely an excuse for an action and rarely its cause. Surprisingly, Svetlana is rarely dishonest or overtly licentious. Though often quiet when a matter of truthfulness might be required, she at the same time prefers to bend the mind of others rather than the truth and will though flirt with some, rarely act on the intentions encouraged. Early Life Born within St. Petersburg during the time of the Russian Empire in 1888, Svetlana was the daughter of an ailing aristocratic household led by Count Vladislav Nikolayevich Zuyev whose wealth had become stagnant though influence continued in spite of that great flaw. Her mother, Lady Agafa of the House Shishkova was a renowned beauty, whose manner and personality left many endlessly impressed with her grace. The Shishkova family enjoyed considerable wealth, though less status within the nobility than the House Zuyev and so their daughter, born of one house with waning funds but great influence and the other of great financial strength with little influence, was something of a princesss. At least, in her own eyes she was. That never truly changed. A popular aspect of Tsarist society, Svetlana was trained in many forms of entertainment at a young age from musical instruments to singing and even dance. She excelled in discourse and with little effort became one of the emerging socialites of her time. It was during this time period, and with considerable assistance from rumor of her supposed beauty, that she was introduced to the cavalry commander, Gavriel Konstantinov, a man initially come of Spain whose dark hair, intense gaze, and formal disposition swiftly set her afire. After a brief courtship she came to admire the commander very much and despite her father's misgivings began to attend balls and galas with him. While Count Zuyev might have held considerable apprehension to the match, there will little doubt in that Colonel Konstantinov was a resourceful and popular member of the military. His night raids, often with but a handful of men, had been considerably effective during the Russo-Turkish War, within which he seemed to hold considerable antipathy toward the Ottoman Turks that he slew. Rumor of Lady Zuyeva's involvement with the colonel was as much a benefit as it was something to be denied, for a joining of the Zuyev family with such an impressive specimen, even if he was a foreigner, could only be more influence for the house's name. After his heroic showing in the Brusilov Offensive, Gavriel was considered for a generalship at the behest of Tsar Nicholas II; however, the collapse of the empire saw that distinction suddenly lost and the couple's rising fame placed in jeopardy. Undeath With the revolution underway, Svetlana's fortunes quickly turned. Considered one of the "former people" because of her affluence and education, Svetlana was often berated in public and accused of many manners of disgrace. Given her naturally prideful and intolerant manner, this led to scuffles between her personal guards and those that decried her. To see her protect, Count Zuyev hastily wed her to Colonel Konstantinov with the hope that when the military reorganized itself his daughter's position would be his surefire means to safety. It was as the life she knew was coming to an end that Gavriel revealed to her why it was he was such a capable military officer. Though it was difficult for her to grasp, the colonel's explanation of what the Kindred were and who she had fallen in love with seemed something almost too fantastic to be real. However, to prove his statement, he saw the shadows consume her for a night and when the next day came and night had passed, she was permitted to leave it and see the world as he did. Shaken and quite terrified, she found herself intrigued only by the promise that if she accepted his Embrace, he would be able to protect her eternally. Svetlana, realizing that the world she knew would soon come to an end, agreed. But the promise Gavriel made was not long for the world. As the Brujah, certain that the decaying beast of aristocracy would be restored by the hands of their fellow kindred, took control of the revolution they saw men such as Gavriel killed through surprise attacks. The pain of her sire's death resonated deeply within her; however, Svetlana knew she could not remain for long within a kingdom that had abandoned her. Uncertain of what to do, she was guided by Gavriel's former ghoul, Janusz, who had been present at his master's death and vowed to protect Svetlana until he was no more. The two fled to the Americas, where Svetlana was protected by Janusz until she arrived in Atlanta. While Gavriel was of considerably popular fame in Russia, it became apparent that the Lasombra antitribu were not quite as well received in Atlanta as they had been in Russia. Svetlana became something of an outcast, independent and often withdrawn, but managed to survive with little issue until Atlanta fell to the Sabbat. The Savannah Chronicle With the fall of Atlanta to the Sabbat, Svetlana and her assets were safely moved to the Savannah region, where the Camarilla fought to maintain their position in Georgia. As always an outsider of sorts, she inhabited a previously foreclosed plantation, purchased with the considerable sums of money she had brought with her from Russia, and saw Janusz instated as its landlord. While this happened, she sought an audience with the restored court at Elysium and ensured that she had no hand in any deeds committed by her wayward and distant brethren. Though as always mistrusted, she did appear to ingratiate herself to Prince Valerie, a matter of great importance in years to come. In April of 1967, Svetlana and many of the Kindred in Savannah were called together to address a masquerade violation. By this point, with the aid of Gavriel's writings and learning from those peers she maintained lukewarm contact with, Svetlana had come to understand the rules of the Camarilla and saw little reason to challenge them. The public denouncement of one that broke those rules sat well with her though she felt the Prince's actions were too lenient. Despite the aversion between the Ventrue and the Lasombra, Svetlana saw more sense in Matthew Carrington's proposed notions but ultimately said little. Shortly after, an attack by the Sabbat on Elysium saw a select few rush out to aid. Those that acted, not surprisingly, became the Coterie. Threats to the City The Sabbat Shipment Svetlana and the coterie soon found themselves nearly outmatched when they moved to stop a shipment of white phosphorous intended for the Sabbat. This was the first time in which the coterie met Eduardo, though it would be one more encounter before he was captured. On this occasion, frightened by the fire he saw, he quickly fled and left his companions to fight without him. After the initial firefight saw them gaining the upper hand, the arrival of Xi Xunwei, the Archbishop of Atlanta, quickly saw matters grow out of hand. With Silas Avernus, the Tremere primogen, offering to stay behind and ward off the powerful Lasombra, the coterie retreated in disastrous order. Svetlana, carrying Janusz and attempting to aid the wounded dog, Svetovid, was nearly overcome by burning wreckage before she was rescued by Georgette Adams. In addition to the coterie surviving, Svetlana offered to tend to Isaac while he was in torpor. The man's recklessness, she felt, had endangered them. She would not allow that to happen again. Though it was a direct breach of the Convention of Thorns (1493), while Svetlana had Isaac in her care she immediately set to blood bonding him to herself. Hunting during the night to sustain herself and also feeding him from what she gained, when Isaac awakened he was entirely devoted to her and as such, revealed little apprehension when it came to following her commands in heated combat situations. This proved a lucrative arrangement for a time, though eventually it was revealed and she was forced to sever ties with him or face mutual bonding. Fortune Favors the Cowardly Following Isaac's near death, Svetlana and the coterie then were informed of a potential Sabbat hideout by the sheriff. With Angeline accompanying them for the time being, the group set out and encountered the hideout and its inhabitants, who were not particularly interested in going without a fight. Eduardo Esparza, who had narrowly escaped the group once before, emerged from within and began firing at them as Caitiff and Crusader Thane of the Salubri antitribu began to mount a counterattack. After Angeline defeated the leader, easily, the counterattack folded and the Coterie was capable of cleaning up those that remained. Eduardo, captured, began to confess all that he could to remain free of his final death. He confirmed that there was a schism within the Sabbat and that one side, led by the Archbishop had been attacked by another led by a Ventrue antitribu named Constantine and a Tzmisce named Ezra. They considered Xi Xunwei's studies of the abyss to be a goal self-serving and outside of the Sabbat's interests. With this information, he was spared for the moment. Svetlana saw within him a tool that might be properly used and when the Sheriff asked if any would shelter and teach him of the Camarilla, Svetlana offered herself. With the understanding he would be treated as though her childe until he proved himself, it was a gamble that she felt worth the effort. Pentex's Plans The next endeavor that the Coterie undertook, with Eduardo in tow, was to infiltrate a Pentex facility and determine if the whispers of involvement with the Wyrm were accurate. They were met by Sascha the Shadow Lord, Goreclaw the Get of Fenris, Andre the Glass Walker, and Kira the Fianna who was a close and personal friend of the Gangrel primogen, Cassidy MacCormack. After determining how they would have to infiltrate the facility, the group agreed to accompany the Get of Fenris whose immense size and impressive combat prowess seemed the perfect match for their skills and capabilities. As they accompanied him, the others would see to specific tasks to bring the nuclear research facility offline. Not surprisingly, Goreclaw was not particularly fond of the "Wyrmspawn" that accompanied him, however he agreed to allow them to do what they might. Svetlana, using her ability to dominate minds, gained their group entrance into the facility despite being armed and posing as UN inspectors. Once they were inside, the plan became a matter of fighting through the banes and fomori. Upon discovering Adrian, the childe of Isabel Salamanca, in communication with a greater-fomori disguised as a crustacean of a man, the group fought to rescue Rodney from certain doom. Svetlana, with Isaac and Eduardo now acting as her screens, approached cautiously as Goreclaw nearly died in killing the Fomori whose silver bullets decimated his Crinos form. Adrian was captured after nearly being diablerized by Svetlana, whose plans were thwarted by Eduardo's exposition and Mark's insistence she not do such a thing. But the werewolves had been correct, proven with thanks to Mark's investigation, for it seemed Pentex was preparing to evacuate its people after triggering a nuclear reaction to consume the area. The group continued onward until they encountered Jorak Brings-the-End, a Black Spiral Dancer that was prepared to make good on his name ahead of plans. After Svetlana failed to convince him to stand down, he began to make his way for the detonator but Goreclaw, despite being grievously wounded, charged into battle (but not before slapping Svetlana out of the way). In the ensuing fight the Get of Fenris proved the superior to his rival with aid from Mark and Mason. In the end, the party shot their way out of the facility and escaped with the knowledge that they had thwarted Pentex for the time being. An Audience with Lord Korzha The coterie then encountered Stefan Korzha, an old and independent Tzimisce, who was to be convinced to join them. Svetlana was entrusted by the prince to act as the primary point of negotiation between them and even offered one of her two loyal dogs, Svetovid, as a gift to be exchanged in good faith. Isabel Salamanca, childer of Xi Xunwei, arrived to negotiate on behalf of the Sabbat though eventually the coterie succeeded in gaining Korzha's aid. As he chose to assist them though, a Sabbat attack from a renegade faction led by Rose, who saw no reason to allow Korzha's independence to stand. After the firefight that broke out, it was revealed that Rodney Anson was actually one of Korzha's childer and as such, had been far closer to Lord Korzha than they anticipated. This deception was taken as a humiliation to Svetlana, whose ego was easily disturbed and she in turn became cold toward the both of them. Not long after, she withdrew her gift and stalked away. It was at this point that she accepted the tutelage of Matthew Carrington, though it came at a price far higher than she had anticipated. The Ventrue primogen was a cold and calculating man whose manner left her with little tools to assail him with. Nevertheless, he did agree to accept her. The Fate of the Regent After their successes to that point the Coterie seemed unstoppable save for the glaring loss of Silas Avernus when they first set out. At the same time, Gideon Ames, the leader of the Anarchs in Savannah, became acutely aware of the sudden affection Isaac revealed for Svetlana. Upon further investigation he discovered what she had done and informed the Prince. Valerie, who had been aware but ignoring the matter, called Svetlana forth so that she might lie; however, she made no attempt to and freely stated what she had done. Gideon was understandably furious and demanded action be taken, which naturally irritated the Prince. Svetlana was to either find a way to break the bond or be bonded in return. Distraught, she confessed to Isaac what had occurred and wiped his memory before he could act in rage against her. She promised to see the matter taken care of, no matter the cost. There was but one group that seemed capable of doing this: the Abyss Mystics, led by Xi Xunwei. After Rodney's brother, Vlad, gained a working phone number for Isabel Salamanca, the Coterie contacted her and agreed to an exchange: Adrian for Silas Avernus and a secondary contract to see the Sabbat aid in breaking the blood bond. They would have to cripple the rebels against Xi Xunwei, which Svetlana agreed to with little other choice. Svetlana enlisted the aid of the Anarchs after charming Gideon and saying that it would both hurt the Sabbat and aid Isaac if he agreed to help her. With a bit of effort she was able to convince Malcolm, a Gangrel and former soldier in the Korean War, to offer heavy ordinance to the cause. The Anarchs, bolstering the Coterie with their weaponry, proved invaluable allies. After arriving at the meeting with Isabel Mason was able to confirm that Silas was in torpor and stable. The exchange was made and then, with Malcolm's aid, the Coterie found the diner that the rebels had taken over for the night by aid of Xi Xunwei converting Svetlana's shadow into her guide. This was particularly important for Svetlana who had not seen herself in over 50 years since the Lasombra could not cast reflections. She was shaken by this, but held it together. After Svetlana and Mason attempted to encourage as many to leave as possible Rodney was spotted by a young Lasombra and soon fighting broke out. With white phosphorous rounds and grenades, the Coterie successfully besieged the holdout. The Ventrue antitribu, Constantine, was killed in the fighting as were many of the others. Only Faith, who briefly recognized the absence of Svetlana's shadow, was allowed to escape alive. With the enemy defeated, many captives were returned to Xi Xunwei and his faction where they were left to be diablerized. Svetlana and Isaac drank a potion which broke their bond and with Silas in tow, the group left for Savannah once more. Relationships The Coterie As a whole, Svetlana appears to be able to tolerate the members of the Coterie. She has differing opinions, naturally, on each of the specific members but even her aversions do not keep her from effectively and precisely addressing issues as they arrive. She is most often at odds with Georgette Adams and Rodney Anson, though she has had small disagreements with every member of the coterie at one point or another. *'Mason Wright:' The soon-to-be acting Primogen of the Tremere was the first kindred to make any noteworthy attempt at coming to understand or appreciate Svetlana. Their conversations are often brusque, but through continued interaction they have come to respect and rely upon one another. Mason, quite the opposite of Svetlana in terms of social presentation, has benefited from her ability to effortlessly hunt within the city. In turn, he has aided her with deciphering magical artifacts that would have otherwise perplexed her. She has on occasion referred to him as a "knight," which is one of the few times she has actually mentioned her aristocratic background to one of the coterie. *'Isaac Cross:' The young Anarch Brujah was forcefully blood-bonded to Svetlana as he recovered from his injuries. Prior to this she saw him as a disagreeable punk, more driven with the idealistic notion of freedom than any semblance of logic, and prone to endangering himself and those that depended on him for his foolhardy and often single-minded plans. Nevertheless, as she came to view him as something to be protected she gained surprisingly maternal feelings for him, which were inevitably betrayed when she refused to bond herself when the option was presented by the prince. Isaac, along with Mason, is one of the few people that have seen Svetlana weep. She eventually freed him of his bond and for some time the two were on tense terms. Despite this, Svetlana has made efforts to make him see her with less suspicion, something that she alleges is because she wants to continue functioning as a team. In a fight against Adrian, Isaac was decapitated. Svetlana became extremely upset and swore to kill Adrian, which she did. *'Mark O'Brien:' The Nosferatu is one of the few members of the Coterie that rarely disagrees with Svetlana. Though quick to point out that diablerie was not permissible when she nearly drained a vampire, he otherwise has said little that has been considered disagreeable. In most cases they agree with one another and form an effective team: Mark is capable of stealth and Svetlana, cursed with breathtaking beauty, is one of the more socially enthralling kindred in Savannah. They worked together in robbing a blood bank, with Svetlana convincing the doctor Mark scouted out for her that it was in his best interest to obey her commands. Mark has little favor for Svetlana's mind games, but then she has little favor for his brusque nature. *'Rodney Anson:' Though little is known of the Tzimisce's true identity, what Svetlana knows of him is often considered disagreeable. Partially basing her disdain for him on the tenuous relation between the fallen Russian Empire and the burgeoning state of Romania, she furthermore has seen him as a dishonest and far too clever member of the party. *'Georgette Adams:' The member of the team that Svetlana often disagrees with, Georgette's greatest offense was in offering to help Svetlana when she needed it most. Despite the Toreador's kind nature, a mixture of jealousy and simple racial disagreement has seen Svetlana often disparage Georgette to others when she is not around. She finds the woman's ability to enthrall others offensive (despite her own penchant for mind control), and sees little to be learned from her that could not be place on the tip of her finger and flicked away in a second's passing. The Camarilla Although she is a member of the Lasombra antitribu, Svetlana's stance on the Camarilla is not quite as sterling as some might expect. While she agrees that the cannibalistic and socially liberal nature of the Sabbat is an untenable and outright foolish notion, she also cannot say that she feels she should be forever indebted to those that were born lower than she, but turned before she was able to. Nevertheless, as someone that understands the importance of an establish hierarchy, she rarely if ever disparages the Camarilla openly and endeavors instead to work within the system to the best of her ability. *'Valerie du Courdray:' The effortlessly beautiful Toreador prince is the leader of Savannah's kindred and has on two separate occasions proven to be an ally of questionable zeal. Though Svetlana does not trust her, as she assumes (rightfully so) that Valerie wants something from her, she has done little to actively betray the woman and seems to favor her to the alternative. Nevertheless, the fact that she owes the prince a favor weighs heavily upon her and as her star continues to rise, she cannot help but assume that the amassed influence will come at a great price. Valerie seems to appreciate her for her lack of ties to splinter groups, namely the Anarchs, and her social grace with which she handles herself and those she is tasked with addressing. *'Angeline du Courdray:' The Sheriff of Savannah, Angeline is a Toreador and the distant cousin to Valerie du Courdray. Something of an admitted sadomasochist, she serves her cousin with seeming loyalty which places her firmly on Svetlana's list of potential complications. While Svetlana holds no particular intention to betray Valerie, Angeline's presence is much the same as a guard dog that has been proven to like the taste of blood a little more than it should. On one occasion, after returning the Sword of Khalid to the woman, Svetlana boasted that Janusz had been a better combatant than Rodney. Angeline was quick to see this proven and after some time, met Janusz in single combat where she almost fatally wounded him. Svetlana felt she was too harsh on the mortal (and her ghoul), which has turned their professional relationship into one of one-sided antipathy. *'Matthew Carrington:' The Ventrue primogen and Svetlana's personal mentor, despite the fact that Lasombra and Ventrue are not particularly close in most venues Savannah has seen a dearth of those capable of instructing her in mental arts. Matthew Carrington is a very officious, but cordial man that after forcing Svetlana to find some path of humility, agreed to instruct her. There is no love lost between them though, for Svetlana sees Carrington only as a tool of her personal advancement just as he sees her position in the coterie as something that might, with time, be used to his advantage. Of those Svetlana would see meet Final Death, Carrington approaches the top of that list. *'Silas Avernus:' The Tremere primogen was the first ally to assist the Coterie in any meaningful way. When their attempted attack on the convoy approaching Atlanta was thwarted by the arrival of Xi Xunwei, Silas sacrificed himself to aid the younger vampires. Despite this selfless act, Svetlana has been oddly cool toward Silas. It is possible that she believes having a member of the Coterie as the acting primogen provides them with more power and potentially herself with more influence over the Camarilla. Even with these misgivings she did facilitate the trade for him in exchange for Adrian, as well as using her fledgling abyssal transubstantiation to heal his grievous wounds to middling effect. *'Orlando West:' Childe of Matthew Carrington and an influential member of Savannah's society, Orlando was the only person to attend to Svetlana during her first meeting with Matthew Carrington. Whether or not she likes him, she seems to avoid speaking directly to him on most occasions. *'Eduardo Esparza:' A probationary member of the Camarilla, Eduardo was first encountered on the mission that saw Silas captured by the Sabbat. His cowardice saw him flee once and surrender on their second meeting, which after prodding from Rodney Anson proved to be in his best interest. When he was brought before the Sheriff, Svetlana spoke up to take him on as her ward. The act, she believed, would show her dedication to the Camarilla as well as gain her another ally of considerable skill. As time has gone on, Svetlana has been able to learn several key talents from Eduardo though she often treats him coldly and masks her burgeoning maternal feelings for him behind harsh criticism. He was capable of making her nearly frenzy once by laughing at her failure to properly articulate a thought in English, something that she had never before experienced. *'Raphael:' A Camarilla Lasombra under the employ of Prince Alma in St. Petersburg, Florida. Raphael was introduced to Svetlana by Baron Lyonel of Jacksonville, who believed that the two might be able to aid one another. Raphael is an elder antitribu, who disagreed with the majority of the Lasombra during the Anarch Revolt. He has seen many of his children die, among then Julia (his eldest) and Elena. It was the latter that inspired his hatred for Isabel Salamanca, for she personally diablerized the girl after she scared her free of her haven. Raphael is a charismatic and romantic figure, who sees within Svetlana a new means to wage war against the Sabbat. He is has vowed to join the coterie in their final battle against Xi Xunwei, when it should come. He is also very much against Abyss Mystics. Svetlana feels an odd kinship with him and finds him to be someone she instantly trusted, even viewing him as a mentor. The Independents As something of an outsider herself, Svetlana has been careful not to involve herself too much with the independents. That being said, it is impossible to share the night with certain creatures of the night without bumping into one or two of them, and through those interactions she has made a few lasting impressions. Very few of them are favorable. *'Lord Korzha:' A Tzimisce of the old order, Lord Korzha maintains a village in the middle of Georgia that is all but copy of what might have been found in Romania during the 1500's. A reclusive though powerful vampire, he was the recipient of Svetlana's first diplomatic overtures as an agent of the prince. Though she found him an increasingly disturbing individual, she weathered a night being shown about his manor and made some headway against her rival, Isabel Salamanca, to gain his favor. The revelation that he was the sire of Rodney Anson, however, took her by surprise and she immediately became hostile to the point of revoking her gift once Korzha's allegiance was secured. *'Gideon Ames:' The unquestionably handsome leader of the Anarchs, Gideon has proven to be an ally worth knowing even if his anarchist rhetoric is something Svetlana finds wholly irritating. Having first met when he exposed her as having forced Isaac to bond with her, she used this as a means of gaining aid in breaking the bond via securing weaponry to attack the Sabbat and perform a ritual to see the matter resolved. Gideon's amorous nature sets her ill at ease, but makes him something of a viable target for her attempts at manipulation. Unfortunately, he is rarely alone. That being said, he has invited her to accompany him to meet the Baron of Jacksonville, an action that could gain valuable information. *'Malcolm Greene:' Seen as "one of the good ones" by Svetlana, Malcolm is a matter-of-fact and competent Gangrel serving alongside the Anarchs. She sees him as a viable means of controlling the Anarchs, though Gideon would have to be removed for this to occur. *'"Llewelyn": '''A Ravnos thief, is indeed his name then he is more honest than his kin as far as Svetlana is concerned. He aided in the heist of many precious goods from the bazaar in North Carolina. *'Lyonel Abram:' The Brujah baron of Jacksonville, Baron Lyonel is in many ways a traditionalist. He enjoys power and prestige, but knows that he cannot use them alone to maintain the domains beneath him. Svetlana finds him to be somewhat contemptible, but sees the utility in having him as an ally. They disagree largely on what to do with Sabrina Sterling. He views Angeline as an enemy, which Svetlana agrees with readily. *'Sabrina Sterling:' A Tremere traitor. The Sabbat As a Lasombra antitribu, Svetlana often works to avoid the Sabbat whenever she can. However, there have been a few situations in which they have worked together. Because of her resourcefulness and intellect she has been approached to 'rejoin' those of her clan that did not abandon their purpose, but she feels little inclination to aid them outside of mutually beneficial arrangements. *'Xi Xunwei:' The Archbishop of Atlanta, Xi Xunwei is a man of terrifyingly powerful abilities. A Lasombra, he has mastered the abyss in a way few can and has on two occasions invited Svetlana to endure the darkness with him. Though there is a certain appeal to the seductive power he commands, she has resisted that temptation even though he saw her gifted with several techniques and the promise of more power in nights to come. She views him as her enemy and a madman, despite his charisma, and has considered diving into a greater darkness so that she might aid in the fight against him more potently when the time comes. *'Isabel Salamanca:' The favored childe of Xi Xunwei, Isabel is a professional and capable disciple that has proven as often an ally as a rival to the Coterie. Doubtlessly driven by her master's will, at one point Svetlana became frustrated with her inability to see the madness he wished to bring upon the world. Nevertheless, Isabel did provide the condition to break the blood-bond she shared with Isaac. She is the sire to Adrian, who the Coterie spared and later exchanged for Silas Avernus. *'Faith:' A Toreador antitribu, Faith holds the secret to how the Sabbat came to know of the hideouts of the Camarilla. A masochist of alarmingly seductive mannerism, she attempted to seduce Svetlana on one occasion, though Svetlana's disinterest could not have been more apparent. Faith has been considered to join the Camarilla, but she is thoroughly entranced with the Sabbat and is a diablerist, something that would never be allowed within Savannah. At present, Svetlana seeks a means to track her down. *'Adrian:' The childe of Isabel and nearly an elder in his own right. He was wounded grievously by the coterie, but was traded back. He later was encountered in Jacksonville, where he was headed an attempt to activate a neutron bomb and begin Xi Xunwei's plan to open a breach into the Labrinyth. Before this could happen the coterie encountered him. After harsh fighting he killed Isaac Cross, but was in turn killed by Svetlana after she, Georgette, and Mark were nearly killed in a final contest. The Werewolves In many ways the most fearsome creatures of the night, werewolves stalk that which would stalk all life. They are fearless and terrifying creatures, capable of great destruction and lacking any inhibition when driven to their true forms. *'Goreclaw:' The Get of Fenris aided in the attack on the Pentax facility, proving to be a creature without equal in combat when he assisted in felling Brings-the-End. Svetlana attempted to protect him from harm, but he grew irritated with her and shoved her aside. Otherwise a brute without any seeming interest in cordiality or conversation, he survived the encounter and returned the gift they had gathered for him to his leader. *'Sascha: A Shadow Lord, Sascha is perhaps the most hated person in Savannah as far as Svetlana is concerned. She has learned to quick draw a firearm, specifically a derringer with silver bullets, in the event the time and place ever arrive where she might settle her score with the sadistic beast. The Mortals *'''Janusz Kraszanski: The former ghoul of Gavriel that became Svetlana's closest companion, Janusz served her sire well and has continued to do so into her undeath. He is a quiet though certain man, who speaks only when necessary and never questions an order. Svetlana is oddly sentimental when dealing with him and has taken great strides to ensure that he safe, even endangering herself at times because of how much he means to her. There have been moments when she has seen him look to her as men once did long ago, and she is allowed to know what she appears like to others, more so than even the shade that now accompanies her is capable of providing. In addition to being her closest confidant, he is also the trainer of her dogs Svetovid and Svarog, as well as her chaffeur. His surname, "Kraszanski" is actually derived from the county of Kraszan which was abolished in Hungary. This makes it likely that Janusz' family originated in Hungary, immigrated to Poland, and eventually became settled in Russia. The name is also a play upon the word "Kraszanki," a type of colored egg. *'Benjamin Lucas:' A capitalist of absolutely no conscience. Benjamin Lucas is a mage that attempted to sell a great many things and had nearly as many stolen as the Coterie abandoned his establishment. Likely, he will be on the warpath for them but then, Svetlana did charm him with surprising success and believes the man though resistent is not above being broken. *'William "Biff" Stevens:' A soon-to-be-dead puppet of Matthew Carrington. *'Glen Carrington:' An aspiring journalist and the descendent of Matthew Carrington, Glen is smitted with Svetlana and proves to be a walking masquerade violation, as his desire to take pictures of her would expose her as being kindred. For the time being he seems unaware of his danger to her, though anyone that close to Carrington strikes her as eternally troubling. Category:Characters